Forging strength from the ocean, thriving by the sea. Since the beginning of this year, the vehicle ro-ro business at Yancheng Port's Binhai Terminal has been consistently reporting successes. Progressing from initial trial voyages to the current state of regular operations, and expanding from a single route to multiple points radiating overseas, the Binhai Terminal leverages the "ro-ro plus" model to transform port advantages into industrial strengths, thereby boosting Chinese automotive brands in their global ventures.
The sound of ship whistles signals the commencement of another journey. Recently, at Berth 1 of the North General Terminal in Yancheng Port's Binhai Terminal, the Panamanian-flagged ro-ro vessel Morning Linda docked steadily to load vehicles awaiting export. After final quality checks and scheduling were completed by staff in the vehicle storage yard, 2,380 Yueda Kia commodity vehicles, resembling a long steel dragon, drove orderly into the ship's hold. This operation marks another large-scale export following the inaugural "Binhai-South Korea" voyage in November 2025, serving as a vivid testament to the terminal's ro-ro business moving towards regularized and scaled operations. After a day of highly efficient work, this giant vessel laden with vehicles "Made in Yancheng" set sail for Mokpo, South Korea.
"The ro-ro business volume at Binhai Terminal has now risen to rank among the top three in coastal ports within Jiangsu province. Since the launch of the first Middle East route in March 2025, business volume has seen sustained growth, with single-batch export quantities repeatedly hitting new records. The terminal has developed mature operational capabilities for large-scale whole-vessel gathering and rapid loading," said Yang Bin, Chairman of Yancheng Port Binhai Terminal Investment and Development Co., Ltd.
The route network is becoming denser, enhancing global connectivity. To date, Binhai Terminal has successfully established 5 international ro-ro routes, providing access to the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia. Since the start of this year, the terminal has cumulatively completed 8 batches of vehicle ro-ro exports, handling a total volume of 9,591 vehicles. This year, Yancheng Port's Binhai Terminal has continuously optimized its global route layout. Building upon the successfully opened vehicle ro-ro routes to destinations like Durban, South Africa, and South Korea, it is actively constructing an automotive export service chain based on "ro-ro plus shipping." By implementing dual-line operations for "simultaneous inbound and outbound" movement of commodity vehicles, it achieves synchronized gathering and loading, effectively reducing customers' comprehensive logistics costs. This strategy essentially extends the "shipping port" to the "factory gate" of automotive manufacturers, creating a stable, efficient, and diversified maritime logistics channel for hinterland automotive enterprises.
Looking ahead, Yancheng Port's Binhai Terminal will seize new opportunities in automotive exports. It aims to further leverage its hub advantages by expanding the route network, optimizing operational models, and enhancing service capabilities. Through deepened cooperation with automotive companies, the terminal intends to contribute stronger port power to the development of the export-oriented economy.